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Whitman College
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Whitman College - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.69

Diversity

C+
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 2%
Asian American 10%
Hispanic 6%
International 3%
Native American 1%
White 65%
Unknown 12%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 61%
Common States of Residence
  • Alaska
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Minnesota
  • Oregon
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 1%
18-19: 49%
20-21: 45%
22-24: 4%
25+: 0%
Female Faculty 45%
Male Faculty 55%
Faculty Diversity African American: 3%
Asian American: 5%
Hispanic: 3%
International: 7%
Native American: 1%
White: 81%
Unknown: 0%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Oh, diversity! Whitman College is occasionally referred to as “White-man College,” which may provide some insight to the diversity here. Most students recognize the importance of diversity and that lacking it is a problem, but don’t do anything about it, possibly because they are the problem, being white, liberal, atheist/agnostic and upper-middle class themselves. In fact, due to these general trends in diversity, Whitman tends to attract a few students who quite prefer being in a majority of thought in terms of politics and religion.

Meanwhile students with varying backgrounds often describe the adjustment to the homogeny of Whitman as difficult. It seems as though the administration perceives that the lack of racial, political, religious, and socio-economic diversity is a problem but finds itself unsure of how to go about improving, fixing, or dealing with the issue. A variety of on-campus resources are available, from the Intercultural Center to religious groups and a Spirituality Room to various lectures and campus events raising awareness; generally, however, only students who are already aware of the issues take advantage of them. Students feel that Whitman’s events, as fun and educational as they might be, are “preaching to the choir.”

Beyond traditional conceptions of diversity, students themselves have pretty eclectic personalities. Students bring their activities from home and also form new interests on campus. Most students agree that, personality-wise and interest-wise, Whitman is a diverse place. In terms of other forms of diversity? You’ll be hard-pressed to find much of it.
 

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Whitman Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Whitman College

wallasquared

'12

Physical Sciences

2.3
C

Trying to Become More Diverse but Still Work to Do...

The college is really putting an emphasis on improving diversity and they have done a great job bringing in a lot of international students. However, with some exceptions, the international students seem to form cliques really easily and they don't integrate with the rest of the student body very much. Also, the majority of Whitties come from relatively affluent backgrounds and it can be frustrating to explain to people why you have to work 20+ hrs/week in order to pay for college.

Jan 23, 2012

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Diversity at Whitman College

kkgkkg

'14

Psychology

2.7
C+

Whitman Tries, but It's Not Very Diverse

Whitman puts forth much effort to create a diverse student body, but students are typically fairly similar in terms of demographic and diversity data. Most are white, liberal, athletic, and from Washington or Oregon.

Oct 19, 2011

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Diversity at Whitman College

empavs

'14

English

0.8
D-

Whitman Is a Diverse as White Bread!

Most of everyone I knew at Whitman during my first year was white, from the Pacific Northwest, and upper middle class. Most students are very pretentious in nature (and they sure know it and show it!). Most Whitties are vegetarians/vegans, faithful to their Birkenstocks, and are hardcore outdoorsmen and boozers. If this doesn't describe you, it will be EXTREMELY difficult to form lasting friendships. I was immediately dismissed as a potential friend to most people here due to the fact that I am from Los Angeles and am not a green, democratic "treehugger." If you are different from the majority, you will stick out like a sore thumb and spend many dinners in the dining hall alone.

Sep 20, 2011

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Page 1 of 6

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

Respect of homosexuality at Whitman is very strong, especially considering the strong religious affiliations of Walla Walla (it’s a Seventh Day Adventist community). Most students are very tolerant, accepting, and open with their feelings towards homosexuality, though some students still have some difficulty with these issues. Generally speaking, Whitman students are highly tolerant of any type of sexuality.

Political Activity

Whitman is a very active school politically. Most students are liberal, both socially and politically. Students are caring and active in protests and forums, though these don’t happen in an incredible abundance. If asked, most students be able to explain their opinions and political and social views on almost any issue. Students like to keep themselves informed, and they often get up in arms over even smaller issues, like debates over the student e-mail listserve. Students who don’t fit into the majority are generally politically apathetic or consider themselves liberal without really knowing why. Recently, however, there has been a slight increase in the conservative voice on campus.

Economic Status

There’s a large variety of economic status at Whitman, and lower-class population percentages are smaller. Though Whitman tries to cater to all students, the school does, unfortunately, have a reputation as a school for the “rich white kids.” Fortunately, more student organizations have recently been created to help students with less prosperous financial backgrounds adjust to Whitman and provide ongoing support.

Most Common Religions

There seems to be a divide in the majority of agnostic or atheist students and minority of religious students. The most common religions are definitely Judaism and Christianity, both Protestant and Catholic. Although there is a strong Jewish group, Hillel-Shalom, and Christian group, the Whitman Christian Fellowship, religion is not a large focus on campus, but nonetheless there are a surprising number of students dressed up on Easter Sunday.

Minority Clubs on Campus

American Indian Association, Asian Cultural Association, Black Student Union (BSU), Club Latino, Coalition against Homophobia, Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment (FACE), First-Generation / Working-Class Students (FGWC), GLBTQ Club, Hillel-Shalom, Hui Aloha, International Students and Friends Club (ISFC), Muslim Student Association, South Asian Students Association, Vietnamese Club

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Whitman

Name: Sara Rasmussen

Hometown: Salem, Ore.

Major: Politics

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